Surama Village Things to Do

The area is rich is wildlife, or so we are led to believe. We did not see any large mammals, but a few reptiles and many birds.You have to have a very good eye in order to spot any of the little creatures, as some of them have very good camouflage indeed.Also, photography can be very tricky in the rain forest, as the light is usually very low....

This area has a rich and varied bird life, however, it is very difficult inded to get them to sit still long enough, and near enough, to take any decent photographs. I appologise about the quality of this photo of a kingfisher on the river. It was - believe it or not - the best of a bunch!Other birds spotted in this area include:Red and Green...

There are several tracks around Surama Village which are suitable for trekking. Guides will take you out, and show you the local flora and fauna. Don't expect to see many large wild animals, although they are present in the area. We did see a couple of agoutis on the way to the village, as well as a deer. The area is said to be frequented by...

Surama Village Restaurants

All the food was included in the package to Surama, as was soft drinks and tea / coffee. The water from the tap is well-water, so quite safe to drink.

Veronica really did us proud for our meals, with plenty of food and a good variety of produce. It must be very difficult to cater for 17 people, with vegetarians, people who don't like spicy food, people who only eat fish, people who don't eat fish, people who don't like various differnt ingredients........

Favorite Dish:
Chicken featured heavily during our entire trip in Guyana, and Surama was no exception. We also had rice with beef, beans, cassawa, okra (not my favourite), cassawa bread, minced beef and potatoes.......

Related to:

Eco-Tourism

Jungle and Rain Forest

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Surama Village Nightlife

From the camp we walked along the trails of the forest. Wearing a head torch attracted all sorts of insects, so they then congregated around your face, and you would breathe them in as you walked. Yuk.Didn't see many nocturnal creatures, I did come across a night jar on my way to the latrine in the night, and we saw some spiders and frogs, that's...

Another popular activity during the hours of darkness, is a boat trip on the river. There are many creatures who come out during the night, but our main wildlife spotting was the spectacles Caiman. I really loved the eerie silence and total darkness, 17 people plus guide and boatmen, all completely quiet. Absolutely amazing!

A good torch is imperative here, and also keeping some sort of order on your belongings, as it gets very, very dark. When we got up in the morning, while still dark, I couldn't find my glasses. They had fallen off the back pack, upon which I had carefully perched them, and had travelled some distance into the jungle. As I can't see very well...

Sitting around chatting, looking at the stars or listening to the sounds of the jungle, are the main occupations during the hours of darkness. The stars are absolutely amazing here, so bright and so numerous. Here we are sat by the hammocks, just enjoying the jungle experience.
Long sleeved trousers and shirts are recommended to keep the mosquitos...

The choice of what to occupy yourself with at night here in Carahaa is rather limited. Not long after sundown, dinner is served, that probably si the highlight of the evening! A couple of benches are provided to sit on, alternatively, a fallen log will do.

I am a real sucker for sunsets, and more often than not include one in my Nightlife tips. Nothing can be better than watching nature's own display!Also of great pleasure during our stay in Surama, was to watch the fire flies. These tiny little insects flit about the sky, twinkling like thousands of Christmas lights. However, my all time favourite...

Surama Village Transportation

Those who did not want to walk the three miles back to the vilage where given the option to ride on the tractor back. What they weren't told though, was that they'd share the trailer with all our luggage, cooking equipment, hammocks, tarpauling, camping equipment, an outboard motor and four of the staff! An interesting experience travelling three...

We wre quite dismayed to see one the boats was submersed in the river - we were supposed to be exploring the area in that soon! Gary explained that in the extreme heat they suffer in this area, they store their wooden boats below water to stop it drying out, the wood shrinking and it letting in water! That's a relief!At low tide during the dry...

From Surama Village it was a three mile walk to Carahaa, where we were to spend the night. Those who were unwilling or unable to walk, could catch a ride with the local tractor. Sitting on the back was quite an experience, having to hold on for dear life as you bumped your way over the rough track.

Surama Village Local Customs

One of the most famous Guyanese delicasy is the pepperpot. It various from household to household, and can be made with beef, chicken or fish.Veronica really wanted to share her traditions with visitors, but ours was the first group to whom she had dared to serve the pepperpot. The dish it is served in had been in her generation for centuries, and...

I returned back early from the trek because of a bad stomach. The trek was meant to be linear - 6 miles in each direction - and after about four miles or so I felt a bit of a rumble in my tummy and decided to turn back. Walking through the jungle on my own was really magical, just me and the sights and sounds of the virgin rain forest. Wow!As it...

While we were sporting the last gear in ruck sacks, our trusted guide Gary had a very traditional - and very useful - back pack. Made from rattan or similar, it held water and other provisions. Also, while the rest of us were dressed in heavy walking boots, Gary negotiated the trails in flip-flops.Why is it local people always make me feel so...

Surama Village Warnings and Dangers

The first night in Surama, I slept with my left hand up against the mosquito net. I woke in the morning to find 77 mosquito bites on my knuckles alone! The bites were so tightly packed together that they had trouble to find room to swell, making my hand look very odd indeed. Oh, and it itched like hell for a number of days!

As we are drifting down the river and approaching a partly fallen tree sticking out into the water, I warn Dineke who is sitting in front of me: "mind the spider"! "Where?" she says. However much I point at it, she cannot spot it, until we drift just underneath the tree trunk, and the spider is sitting there, just two inches from her face. I've...

The track from Georgetown to Surama has only recently been upgraded, previously it was only passable by enormous Four Wheel Drive Bedford trucks. I cannot imagine what it must have been like, as even now it makes for an "adventurous" journey. With narrow log bridges, deep pot holes and enormous puddles even in the dry season, the journey can take...

Surama Village What to Pack

Luggage and bags:
An overnight bag is all you require for your stay at Carahaa. This will be transported to the camp by the tractor, so you can walk with just a day pack with water, sun cream and your camera.

Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear:
Sturdy walking boots is essential, as the ground is often uneven. Rain can happen at any time of year, so waterproof gear might be worth taking. Bear in mind the heat and humidity though, as rain gear can be stifling, and you may get as wet from the inside with it, as you would be from the outside without it.

Toiletries and Medical Supplies:
Take everything you need on a day to day basis, plus mosquito repellant, antihistamine cream, immodium or similar, and anything else you think you might need, as there are no shops here!

Surama Village Off The Beaten Path

At dawn we were taken out on the Burro Burro River for a wildlife-spotting boat trip. We saw lots of trees! Also many birds. And a spider, and a frog. That's it. I do like to mess about on the river though, and it was nice to just glide through the jungle with the high banks on either side of the river, listening to the sound of the forest.

The "restaurant" was a permanent cover with a table underneath. There were some bench seats, but most of us just sat around eating on logs on the ground. Jackie cooked up soup with dumplings, followed by chicken, rice and vegetables. As I still had a rather tender tummy, I stuck to the soup with some added rice and bread. Very nice it was too.

Burro Burro River runs past the Carahaa camp. The waters are home to giant otters, caiman, rays and piranhas, to name a few. Not somewhere you would want to go swimming! I was disappointed to see that the water wasn't as clean as I expected, and that there was pollution foam floating about at various stages.

Surama Village Favorites

We visited Surama at the time of the butterfly migration, and I have never seen so many butterlies in one place in all my life. Mostly there were big groups of pale yellow butterflies, who would settle down on any area of stagnant water. As soon as you approached, either on foot or in a vehicle, they would all take to the air at the same time, and...

There we are, a three mile walk from the nearest civilisation, which in itself is a 14 hour road journey from Georgetown. We have travelled thousands of miles to get here, by plane, truck, boat and 4WD, and as we are sitting around before dinner, Gerald brings out a home made fruit cake which they have carried with them all the way from...